2024-08-14 23:02:02
LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared the growing spread of monkeypox in Africa a global health emergency and warned the virus could eventually spread across international borders.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the news after a meeting of the United Nations health agency’s emergency committee. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared monkeypox, also known as monkeypox, a public health emergency on the continent on Tuesday.
The World Health Organization noted that there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths in Africa this year, a number that already exceeds last year’s.
So far, more than 96% of cases and deaths have occurred in one country: the Democratic Republic of Congo. Scientists are concerned about the spread of new versions of the disease that may spread more easily from person to person.
Here’s what’s known about monkeypox and what can be done to curb its spread:
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox was first discovered by a group of scientists in 1958, when an outbreak of a “smallpox-like” disease in monkeys was recorded. Until recently, most human cases occurred in Central and West Africa, where they had close contact with infected animals.
In 2022, it was confirmed for the first time that the virus was sexually transmitted, and outbreaks broke out in more than 70 countries around the world that had never reported monkeypox cases.
Monkeypox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox, but causes milder symptoms such as fever, chills, and body aches. People with more severe disease may develop lesions on the face, hands, chest, and genitals.
What is happening in Africa that is causing so much concern?
The number of cases has increased dramatically. Last week, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that monkeypox has been detected in at least 13 African countries. The agency noted that cases increased by 160% and deaths by 19% compared with the same period last year.
A few months ago, scientists reported that a new form of monkeypox had emerged in a Congolese mining town that could kill up to 10 percent of people and spread more easily.
Unlike previous monkeypox outbreaks, which mainly caused lesions on the chest, hands and feet, the new version of monkeypox causes less severe symptoms and lesions on the genitals. This makes detection more difficult, meaning people can infect others without knowing they are infected.
The World Health Organization says monkeypox has recently been detected for the first time in four East African countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. All of these outbreaks are related to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Tedros expressed concern that the disease could spread within and outside Africa.
In Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa, health authorities reported outbreaks of a different, less dangerous form of monkeypox that spread around the world in 2022.
What does a declaration of emergency mean?
The World Health Organization declares a state of emergency to prompt donor agencies and countries to take action. But global reaction to the previous announcement was mixed.
Dr. Jean Kasea, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the agency’s declaration of a public health emergency was intended to “mobilize our institutions, collective will and resources to act quickly and decisively.” He called on Africa’s international partners. offers assistance, noting that rising cases on the continent have been largely ignored.
“It’s clear that current control strategies are not working and more resources are clearly needed,” said Michael Marks, professor of medicine at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. “If (a global emergency declaration) is the mechanism to unlock these things, then that’s reasonable Yes,” he said.
What is the difference between the current epidemic in Africa and the epidemic in 2022?
During the global monkeypox outbreak in 2022, the vast majority of cases were gay and bisexual men, and the virus was mainly spread through close contact (including sexual relations).
Although some similar patterns have been observed in Africa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, children under 15 years of age currently account for more than 70% of monkeypox cases and 85% of deaths.
Before convening the emergency meeting, Tedros noted that officials were dealing with several outbreaks of monkeypox in different countries, which had “different forms of transmission and different levels of risk.”
“Stopping these outbreaks requires a comprehensive and targeted response,” he said.
Greg Ramm, director of Save the Children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, said the organization was particularly concerned about the spread of monkeypox in crowded refugee camps in the east, noting that 345,000 children were “crowded in tents.” He commented that the country’s health system had “collapsed” under the pressure of malnutrition, measles and cholera.
It’s unclear why children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are infected with monkeypox at such high rates, said Dr. Boguma Titangui, an infectious disease expert at Emory University. He noted that this could be because minors are more susceptible to the virus, or that certain social factors, such as overcrowding and exposure to infected parents, could explain the phenomenon.
How to stop the spread of monkeypox?
Monkeypox outbreaks in dozens of countries were largely brought under control in 2022, with wealthy countries using vaccines and treatments and convincing people to avoid risky behaviors. But in Africa, there are few vaccines or treatments available to people.
Marks, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said immunization could help, including vaccinating people against smallpox, a related virus.
“We need a large supply of vaccines to vaccinate high-risk groups,” he said, adding that this would include sex workers, children and adults living in areas where outbreaks have been reported.
The Democratic Republic of Congo said it was in talks with donors about possible vaccine donations and had received some financial aid from Britain and the United States.
The World Health Organization has set aside $1.45 million from its emergency fund to fund the monkeypox response in Africa, but said an initial $15 million is needed to fund the response.
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Associated Press writer Christina Marchia in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science & Education Media Group. The Associated Press is solely responsible for all content.
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